Four local products named to CPL All-Star team

Wednesday

Jul 3, 2013 at 8:40 PM

Hunter Rice, K.L. McAllister, Allen Staton and Jake Long to play in Monday's all-star game in Hampton, Va.

By TODD SHANESYtodd.shanesy@shj.com

Boiling Springs High School product and former Spartanburg Methodist pitcher Hunter Rice was among four players with area ties named to the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game.The CPL, one of the premiere summer leagues for college baseball players, will hold its all-star game Monday at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton, Va. Rice, who has signed to play next season for the College of Charleston, pitches for the High Point-Thomasville HiToms and was named to represent the West Division.Also named to the game were Limestone's K.L. McAllister from Wilmington, N.C.; North Greenville's Allen Staton from Laurens High School; and Jake Long, an Anderson native who pitched at SMC and will play for Clemson next season.Rice, the HiToms' closer, has appeared in a team-high 12 games with eight saves and two wins to go along with a 3.38 ERA. He has been holding opponents to a .240 batting average. He was SMC's closer in 2012 and sat out this season before beginning his career at Charleston.Long, who plays for the Florence Red Wolves, was 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA for SMC in 2011 before moving on to East Tennessee State. He took a redshirt season in 2013 after transferring to Clemson. Long was a North-South All-Star as a senior at T. L. Hanna High School.McAllister, of the Asheboro Copperheads, will be the starting second baseman for the West team. He is batting .366 with seven doubles and has been named CPL Rawlings Hitter of the Week. At Limestone, he batted .404 in 2013 for the sixth-highest batting average in team history. Staton, representing the Columbia Blowfish, will be the starting designate hitter. He is batting .341 with two homers and 25 RBIs in 29 games. At North Greenville, he batted .392 with five homers and 29 RBIs while also stealing 10 bases in 13 attempts.

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